Collapsible teepee shelter



April 6, 1965 H. A. WARNER 3,175,593

COLLAPSIBLE TEEPEE SHELTER Filed Nov. 1, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORHARRY A. WARNER I a BY 17 gwM 6%! ATTORNEY April 6, 1965 H. A; WARNERCOLLAPSIBLE TEEPEE SHELTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 1, 1963 INVENTOR.HARRY A. WARNER BY ATTORNEY A ril 6, 1965 H. A. WARNER t 9mm lilll FlaINVENTOR. HARRY A. WARNER FIG .8

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,176,698 COLLAPSIBLE TEEPEE SHELTER HarryA. Warner, 3842 Leafy Way, Miami, Fla. Filed Nov. 1, 1963, Ser. No.32ti,649 2 Claims. (Cl. 135-1) This invention relates to collapsibleshelter devices and has particular reference to a shelter device in theform of a teepee tent.

The invention contemplates a tent of substantially frusto-conical shapethat consists of a plurality of reinforcing stays and with the lowerends of the stays being pivotally connected to the arms of a spreaderdevice and with the upper ends of the stays being pivotally connected toa ring.

The invention contemplates a tent having flexible side walls andupwardly extending rigid stays and a bottom spreader device thatcomprises a central ring and a plurality of radial arms that arehingedly connected to the ring and to the lower ends of the stays andwhereby the spreader may be extended downwardly into a horizontalposition to spread the tent and when collapsed up into the tent,functions to collapse the tent to a substantial compact roll.

The invention further contemplates stays having their lower endsprojecting below the spreader for piercing engagement into the ground tomaintain the tent in expanded condition against movement by the wind andstep-on devices for forcing the ends of the stays into the ground.

The present invention has for its purpose the provision of a shelterwherein a person may sit in the sun and absorb the heat from the sunthat is generated through the cover of the tent. The tent may beemployed inside of a building or for external use and may be constructedin various sizes to accommodate adults or children and has many uses asa shelter device and the tent may be collapsed with a minimum of effortor expanded with a minimum of effort by reaching through a doorway andpressing the spreader downwardly, causing its radial arms to I force theside walls of the tent outwardly to a position determined by the radialarms.

Novel features of construction and operation of the device will be moreclearly apparent during the course of the following description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein has beenillustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like charactersof reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the severalfigures.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a tent constructed in accordance withthe invention,

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal section taken substantially on line 22 ofFIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary section taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a central vertical section through the tent takensubstantially on line 44- of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 66of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the tent in the collapsed position,

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8--3, parts being shown inelevation, and

FIGURE 9 is a side elevation of the tent in the fully collapsedposition.

Referring specifically to the drawings, it will be seen that the tent,shown particularly in FIGURE 2 is of an octagonal shape. The tent isprovided with upwardly ex- 3,176,698 fiatented Apr. 6, 1965 ice tendingchannel-shaped stays 5, the stays 5 are pivotally connected at 6 to aplurality of radial arms 7. The arms 7 are pivotally connected at 8 towings 9 carried by a ring 10, the ring It and the radial arms 7constitute the means for spreading or assembling the tent. The stays 5at their upper ends are pivotally connected at 11 to a ring 12. The ring10 and the radial arms 7 are adapted to be collapsed upwardly, as shownin FIGURE 8 and whereby the spreader' when moved upwardly functions tocollapse the side walls of the tent inwardly into a compact bundle,illustrated particularly in FIGURE 9. The several stays when fullycollapsed define a package substantially of the diameter of the ring 12.

Means are provided to prevent the spreader, indicated as a whole by thenumeral 13 from swinging passed a horizontal position for spreading thetent, such means embodying lips 14 that are carried by the ring 10 andwith the lips overlying the several radial arms 7. The lower ends of thestays 5 are also provided with stops 15, to limit the downward swingingmovement of the arms 7 so that the spreader will be disposed in asubstantially horizontal position after the tent has been moved to itsexpanded position. The lower ends of the stays are cut away and pointedat 16 so that the points may be forced into the ground by the user toprevent blowing over of the tent under wind conditions. To force thepoint 16 into the ground, there have been provided step-on plates 17that are welded or otherwise connected to the lower ends of the stays toproject outwardly beyond the Walls of the tent.

As clearly shown, the several stays are covered by any suitable flexiblecover 18, such being formed of plastic, canvas or other materials. Theside wall 18 is connected to each of the stays 5 by snap buttons 19 andwhereby the cover 18 may be removed from time to time for purpose ofcleaning or replacement. The lower marginal edges of the cover 18 alongthe bottom, is preferably reinforced by a reinforcing strip 20 that isstitched or otherwise connected to the cover from stay to stay. Thereinforcing is likewise fiexible and in normal use, as shown in FIGURE2, the segments of the tent between the stays are normally maintainedtaut. The cover segments at the upper end of the tent may terminate in aconical hood 21. The points 16 of the stays, while being desirable foroutdoor use, may be omitted so that the tent may be used inside of ahouse or any patio and with the points omitted, the tent will sit flatlyupon the ground or upon the floor.

The tent in one segment is provided with a flexible door flap 22 topermit entry or exit from the tent. The door may be provided with asight opening 23 that is covered by a flap 24 and with the flap beingstitched at its upper end as indicated in FIGURE 4. On the next twoother segments of the tent cover, there has been provided vent openings25, that are preferably covered by a slidable preferably transparentcover 26. Adjacent to the door opening 22, the tent is provided with apair of U-shaped handles 27 whereby the operator may grasp the handlesand dispose the tent in an upright manner so that a hand may be extendedthrough the sight opening 23 to actuate the spreader 13 either up ordown.

In the use of the device, the tent having been assembled, as describedand assuming that the operator has previously collapsed the tent to theposition of FIGURES 8 and 9, he grasps the handle 27 and initiallystands the collapsed tent to a substantially vertical position then, byreaching through the opening 23, he can press downwardly upon the ring10, forcing the radial arms outwardly and to fully spread the tent tothe position illustrated in FIGURE 2. To collapse the tent, the operatorreaches through the opening 23, grasps the ring 10 and lifts thespreader up- "ardly, pulling all of the arms 7 inwardly for swinging thestays 5 to a position where they lie substantially parallel, as shown inFIGURE 8. The cover 18 being flexible, will collapse into the spacesbetween the stays S, creating a substantially cylindrical bundle thatmay be tied together and stored or transferred to any desirable point.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a very novel constructionhas been provided for collapsible teepee type of tent. The spreadingmeans for the tent is substantially simple and permits the tent to beexpanded or collapsed with a minimum of effort. With the pointed ends ofthe stays 5, the tent may be employed for resting engagement upon theground, the beach or various other places where a shelter is desired andreadily lends itself to its use by both adults and children by varyingthe size of the device. The device when used on the beach presents avery desirable wind break yet permitting the individual to absorb theheat from the sun which is most desirable especially, when the weatheris cool. The cover 18 may be readily detached from the frame having thestays 5 and permits covers to be applied to the frame through the mediumof the snap buttons 19 so as to permit the cover to be replaced whenworn or damaged and to also permit the use of covers having varyingcolors and designs. The device is simple in construction, is strong,durable and cheap to manufacture.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the preciseconstruction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fallwithin the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scopeof the sub-joined claims.

I claim:

1. A collapsible shelter device of truncated cone-shape octagonal incross section, a plurality of rigid stays that extend for the fullheight of the shelter, the stays at their upper ends being pivotallyconnected to a rigid ring, a spreader device disposed at the bottom ofthe shelter with the spreader device embodying a rigid ring and aplurality of radial arms that extend from the ring to each of the stays,the arms being pivotally connected to the ring and to the stays andwhereby an upward movement of the spreader device will cause all of thestays to swing together toward the ring, a flexible cover for theshelter that overlies the several stays, the cover at its lower marginalportion being connected to each of the stays by a snap button andwhereby the cover may be detached, lips formed upon the ring of thespreader at the point of each pivotal point for the arms, the lipsoverlying the arms and contacting with the arms when said arms extendhorizontally whereby the spreader device will be prevented from shiftingbelow a horizontal position, each of the stays also being provided withstops that underlie the arms adjacent to the points of pivotalconnection of the arms to the stays and also serving to prevent shiftingof the spreader below the horizontal position, each of the stays attheir lower ends being reduced to form a greater piercing leg andstep-on plates carried adjacent the lower ends of the stays whereby tofacilitate the engagement of the prongs into the ground, the cover beingprovided with vent openings in at least two segments of the cover,between two adjacent stays, a door opening for the shelter that isdisposed in another segment of the cover, the door opening being closedby a flexible cover that is stitched to the cover at its top and alongone side, a sight and access opening formed in the door whereby theoperator may reach through the opening to shift the spreader eitherupwardly or downwardly, a pair of handles that are fixed to the stays onopposite sides of the door and whereby to facilitate the handling of thedevice when in a collapsed position and to set the device in itscollapsed position upwardly prior to the shifting of the spreaderdownwardly for expanding the shelter and a cone-shaped cap disposed overthe top of the shelter and that overlies the first named ring and anupper marginal edge of the cover.

2. A shelter device as recited in claim 1 wherein the vent openings areprovided with slidable covers, the said stays being of channel form andwith the radial arms being formed square in cross section, the rings ofthe spreader, the stays and the upper ring being formed of anon-corrosive metal, the stays below the'pivotal point for the armsbeing cut away to form a piercing prong.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6,496 6/49 Dow -12,650,401 9/53 La Mond 1351 2,666,441 1/54 Powers l3514 3,042,052 7/62Des Rosier 135-4 FOREIGN iPATENTS 304,549 1/17 Germany.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

REINALDO P. MACI-IADO, Examiner.

1. A COLLAPSIBLE SHELTER DEVICE OF TRUNCATED CONE-SHAPE OCTAGONAL IN CROSS SECTION, A PLURALITY OF RIGID STAYS THAT EXTEND FROM THE FULL HEIGHT OF THE SHELTER, THE STAYS AT THEIR UPER ENDS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE RIGID RING, A SPREADER DEVICE DISPOSED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SHELTER WITH THE SPREADER DEVICE EMBODYING A RIGID RING AND PLURALITY OF RADIAL ARM THAT EXTEND FROM THE RING TO EACH OF THE STAYS, THE ARMS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE RING AND TO THE STAYS AND WHEREBY AN UPWARD MOVEMENT OF THE SPREADER DEVICE WILL CAUSE ALL OF THE STAYS TO SWING TOGETHER TOWARD THE RING, A FLEXIBLE COVER FOR THE SHELTER THAT OVERLIES THE SEVERAL STAYS, THE COVER AT ITS LOWER MARGINAL PORTION BEING CONNECTED TO EACH OF THE STAYS BY A SNAP BUTTON AND WHEREBY THE COVER MAY BE DETACHED, LIPOS FORMED UPON THE RING OF THE SPREADER AT THE POINT OF EACH PIVOTAL POINT FOR THE ARMS, THE LIPS OVERLYING THE ARMS AND CONTACTING WITH THE ARMS WHEN SAID ARMS EXTEND HORIZONTALLY WHEREBY THE SPREADER DEVICE WILL BE PREVENTED FROM SHIFTING BELOW A HORIZONTAL POSITION, EACH OF THE STAYS ALSO BEING PROVIED WITH STOPS THAT UNDERLIE THE ARMS ADJACENT TO THE POINTS OF PIVOTAL CONNECTION OF THE ARMS TO THE STAYS AND ALSO SERVING TO PREVENT SHIFTING OF THE SPREADER BELOW THE HORIZONTAL POSITION, EACH OF THE STAYS AT THEIR LOWER ENDS BEING REDUCED TO FORM A GREATER PIERCING LEG AND STEP-ON PLATES CARRIED ADJACENT THE LOWER ENDS OF THE STAYS WHEREBY TO FACILITATE THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE PRONGS INTO THE GROUND, THE COVER BEING PROVIDED WITH VENT OPENINGS IN AT LEAST TWO SEGMENTS OF THE COVER, BETWEEN TWO ADJACENT STAYS, A DOOR OPENING FOR THE SHELTER THAT IS DISPOSED IN ANOTHER SEGMENT OF THE COVER, THE DOOR OPENING BEING CLOSED BY A FLEXIBLE COVER THAT IS STITCHED TO THE COVER AT ITS TOP AND ALONG ONE SIDE, AS SIGHT AND ACCESS OPENING FORMED IN THE DOOR WHEREBY THE OPERATOR MAY REACH THROUGH THE OPENING TO SHIFT THE SPREADER EITHER UPWARDLY OR DOWNWARDLY, A PAIR OF HANLDES THAT ARE FIXED TO THE STAYS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE DOOR AND WHEREBY TO FACILITATE THE HANDLING OF THE DEVICE WHEN IN A COLLAPSED POSITION AND TO SET THE DEVICE IN ITS COLLAPSED POSITION UPWARDLY PRIOR TO THE SHIFTING OF THE SPREADER DOWNWARDLY FOR EXPANDING THE SHELTER AND A CONE-SHAPED CAP DISPOSED OVER THE TOP OF THE SHELTER AND THAT OVERLIES THE FIRST NAMED RING AND AN UPPER MARGINAL EDGE OF THE COVER. 